Circuit-controller



W, C. STEVENS. CIRCUIT CONTROLLER. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1920.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

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ATTORNEY W. C. STEVENS.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1920.

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Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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INVENTOR ATTORNEY WILLIAM C. STEVENS, OF MILWAUKEE,

HAMMER MFG. CO., OF MILWAUKEE CONSIN.

1,396,694. Specification of WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 THE CUTLER- WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATION OF WIS- CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

Letters Pat nt- Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

Application filed November 3, 1920. Serial No. 421,451.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM C. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Controllers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to circuit controllers, and while not limited thereto, is par ticularly applicable as a starting controller for electric motors.

In practice it is frequently necessary or desirable to provide for full operation of such controllers both by a pilot motor and optionally by a single hand opera-ting member whereas difficulty has heretofore been encountered in correlating the existing types of controller to such actuation and the present invention has among its objects that of providing an improved and simplified circuit controller particularly adapted to actuation in the manner aforementioned.

Another object is that of providing an improved and simplified form of motor drive for theaforementioned and other controllers.

Another object is that of providing a circuit controller together with operating means particularly adapting the same to power actuation by a motor or the like without necessitating accurately timed control of the latter.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings wherein are illustrated certain of the embodiments which the invention may assume in practice,

Figure 1 is a schematic and diagrammatic view illustrating a proposed construction embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a slight modification of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4 and5 are detail views illustrating different operative positions of one of the switch movements utilized in the aforementioned constructions; while,

Fig. 6 is a further detail view illustrating a slight modification of certain elements of the former figures.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing the same illustrates a reversible motor M to he device 16 all of supplied with electrical energy from lines L L'- and provided with steps R R, R of accelerating resistance. Four similar switches arranged in two separately operable groups 9 and 10 provide for establishment of me connections for the motor suitable for operation of the latter in opposite directions selectively While accelerating swltches 11, 12 and 13 provide for acceleration of the motor by progressive exclusion of said resistance steps.

{is more fully described hereinafter, said switches are all of a type requiring latching closed position and to such end the groups 9 and 10 of reversing switches are provided wlth latching devices 14 and 15 respectively, the accelerating switches 11, 12 and 13 bcing ointly provided with a single latching said latching devices being adapted to effect no-voltage release. F urther the character and arrangement of said switches is such that upon actuation of a single operating member 17 unidirectional.

the contactors of all of said switches are moved to positions adjacent to but out of engagement with their respective cooperating contacts, the latching device 16 and one of the devices 14 and 15 being then energized for preventing return movement of the switches so latched-in. Reverse movement of the member 17 causes said switches to effect snap engagement with their respec tive cooperating contacts, such action ofthe accelerating switches however being subjected to progressive delay by a dash pot 18, and that group of the reversing switches which is not latched-in being free to return immediately to the full off position illustrated. The foregoing action thus serves to effect starting and acceleration of the motor and to provide for preselection of the direction of operation thereof through selective energization of the latching devices 14 and 15.

A pilot motor 19, controllable by a master switch lever 20 in conjunction with a relay 21, is provided for power actuation of the member 17 said .motor acting through a worm gear 22 and worm wheel 23, the latter carrying a stud 24 for directly engaging a notch 25 in said member 17. The opera.- tive connection of said motor switches also includes levers 26 and 27 each having a lost motion connection with the 19 to saidoperating member 17, the lever 26 being con- .tion of the controller.

Contacting devices 29 and 30 are arranged to be drivenby the accelerating switch operating means and by the worm wheel 23 respectively, said devices co5perat1ng to 1113.111

2'6 and. arm 42, the arrangement and func tions of said rod being similar to those of the rod 38 aforedescribed.

The structure of the individual aocelerand arranged to project forwardly from the tain continuity of the energizing circuit of panel while an angle lever 47 having an uprelay 21 during movement of the controller switches to the intermediate position aforedescribed and for an appreciable time thereafter and also to interrupt said circuit for stopping the pilot motor in a positlon suitable for restarting to effect subsequent actuation of said switches.

In practice the contactors of line switches 9 are preferably carried in spaced relatlon upon a square shaft 31, a layer or sheet 32 of non-conductive material being arranged about said shaft in the usual manner for insulating the individual switch parts from said shaft and from one another. A crank arm 33 is fixed to said shaft and terminally provided with a laterally projecting stud 34 for direct coaction with the latch 14. The contactors of line switches 10 are similarly mounted in spaced and insulated relation upon a shaft 35 arranged in alinement with the shaft 31 and having 'a similar crank arm and stud for coaction with latch 15. One of said shafts 31 and 35 is provided with a reduced portion upon which the operating lever 27 is loosely and pivotally mounted; Saidshafts 31 and 35 are further terminally provided with reduced portions loosely supporting a-pair of downwardly and forwardly projecting arms 37. An operating rod 38 is carried by and between the free ends of said arms 37 and preferably penetrating the lever 27. Said rod 38 is thus carried in parallel relation to 'the shaft 36 and below the contactors of the several line switches 9 and 10, whereby upon forward and upward oscillation of the lever 27 said rod is carried therewith for lifting said contactors to the intermediate position described.

The contacting device 29 is mounted upon an extension of said shaft 39 for movement therewith. Said shaft 39 is also provided with a reduced portion upon which the lever 26 is loosely mounted and is further provided with a loosely mounted arm 42 while a rod 43 is carried by and between said lever wardly extending portion 47 and a rearwardly extending lug 47 is medially pivotally "mounted adjacent the free end of said arm 46. The portion 47* of said lever provides for resilient mounting of the switch contact finger, as for example .finger 11, while the lug 47 of said lever is formed to extend somewhat below the adjacent portions (if the arm 46 when the switchis in the opbn position illustrated in Fig. 3.

A spring 48 is arranged to be compressed between a projecting portion of the bracket 44 and the lug 47 b of lever 47 whereby said spring serves to bias said arm 46 downwardly and also to bias the portion 47 of said lever inwardly toward the panel, suitable stops being provided for limiting moveg ent of said elements in response to such ias.

A latch 49 having a notch 50, is pivotally mounted upon the arm 46 and biased by gravity or otherwise to engage the adjacent lug 47 of lever 47 but prevented from effecting such engagement pending a given degree of clockwise rotation ofsaid lever about its pivot against the bias of the spring 48. Said latch is further provided with a cam surface 51. The operating rod 43 is located as illustrated below the lug 47 and adjacent the cam surface 51.

Upon upward movement of lever 26 said rod 43 is adapted to so rock the lever 47 about its pivot whereu on the latch 49 engages the lug 47 b of sald lever for prevent ing return movement of the latter. Upon continued movement of said lever 26, said rod engages and lifts the switch arm 46 into the position illustrated in Fig. 4 whereupon, assuming energization of the magnetizing coil of latch 16, the lug 41 is engaged by said latch for holding the aforedescribed switch in such position, the spring 48 being strongly compressed and the latch 49 serving to restrain the lever 47 against con tact engaging movement. Upon subsequent downward movement of lever 26 the rod 43 is adapted to engage the cam surface 51 of latch 49 for tripping the latter and permitting snap engagement of the switch contacts under the stored energy of said spring, the switch parts then occii pying the relative positions illustrated in 1g. 5 Upon deenergization of the magnetizing coil of latch 16 due to voltage failure of the supply circuit or to other cause including voluntary interruption of the circuit of said coil, the switch arm 46 is released from its retention and the switch parts are adapted to return to the positions illustrated in Fig. 3 with a snap action due to stored energy of the spring 48.

The accelerating switches of the controller are all constructed as aforedescribed, the cam surfaces 51 of said switches having different contours as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 to provide for closure of said switches progressively upon continuous downward movement of the lever 26.

The line switches of groups 9 and 10 may also be of the same construction, although said switches are preferablyv constructed without latches corresponding to the latch 49 since the operation of said switches does not involve the function of said element.

The power operation of the aforedescribed controller may be outlined as follows: Movement of the master switch 20 to its position (Z serves to complete the energizing circuit of relay 21 and of electromagnetic latches 14 and 16. The energizing circuit of said relay extends from line L by conductor 52 through the master switch 20, thence by conductor 53 through the winding of said relay, by conductor 54 through the contacting device 29 and by conductor 55 to'line L The energizing circuit of said latches extends to the master switch as last traced, thence by conductor 56 through the coil of latch 14 by conductors 57 and 58 through the coil of latch 16, and thence to line L Said relay thereupon responds and connects the pilot motor across said supply circuit for driving worm wheel 23 counter-clockwise. During such rotation of said wheel substantially 180 the operating member 17 together with levers 26 and 27 is lifted for moving all the switches of the controller to the intermediate position illustrated in Fig. 4 whereas the aforedescribed energization of the coils of latches 14 and 16 serves to insure latching of line switches 9 and also of the accelerating switches 11, 12 and 13 in such position. Upon continued rotation of the wheel'23 the operating member 17 is moved laterally against a stop 28 and thus prevented from following the stud 24 during further rotation of said wheel whereupon the latch 25 becomes disengaged thus permitting said operating member 17 together with lever 27 to drop by gravity to the position illustrated. Line switches 9 thereupon snap into closed position under the stored energy of their respective spring. Theswitches 10, however, being unrestrained move directly to off positio Owing to the aforedescribed lost motion connection between the operating bar 17 and lever 26 the latterv is not moved downwardly with the former but on the other hand is adapted to fall gradually under the retarda tion of the dash pot 18, the latter being adjusted to provide for properly timing engagement of the rod 43 with the individual latches of said accelerating switches to effect suitable timing of the progressive exclusion of resistance steps R R and R By the foregoing action of the controller the motor M is started in a preselected direction and brought up to speed.

Also during the aforedescribed rotation of the wheel 23 the contacting device 30 is actuated to parallel the device 29 for maintaining the energizing circuit of relay 21 after interruption of the connections con trolled by said device 29 which interruption is timed to occur just prior to arrival of the accelerating switches in their intermediate positionsaforedescribed, the circuit of said relay being then maintained through the contacting device 30 during continued rotation of the wheel 23 and finally interrupted by said device as the stud 24 nears its lowermost position. The pilot motor 19 is thus deenergized and stopped in a position suitable for re-starting and subsequent operation of the controller.

Movement of the master switch 20 to its neutral position illustrated serves to interrupt the energizing circuit of latches 14 and 16 whereupon line switches 9 and accelerating switches 11, 12 and 13 immediately snapopen, whereas a similar action results from failure of voltage of the supply circuit.

Movement of said master switch 20 to its position 0 serves in a precisely similar manner to effect starting and acceleration of the motor M in a reverse direction due to closure of line switches 10 rather than the switches 9 as in the instance aforedescribed.

By the aforedescribed construction and arrangement wherein the operative connection of the motor 19 to the controller is interrupted automatically the necessity of accurately timed control of said motor for stopping is obviated such stopping being effected by the contacting device 30 at any desired or convenient point.

For manual operation of the controller the master switch 20 is moved to position a or position 6 dependent upon the direction of-operation of the motor M which it is de-' sired to effect. In such position said master switch serves to effect energization of the coil of latch 16 and of the coil of oneof the latches l4 and 15 but under these conditions the circuit of relay 21 is not completed. Thereafter the lever 27 may be lifted manually for bringing all of the controller switches into their intermediate positions and thereafter released whereupon the controller functions precisely as in the case aforedescribed.

Here it may be noted that upon stopping of the motor M due to failure of voltage of its supply circuit the master switch 20 remains closed, whereas the contacting device 29 is adapted to reestablish the energizing circuit of relay 21 as soon as the accelerating switches open, whereby upon restoration of voltage of the supply circuit the controller is adapted to function automatically for restarting the motor M.

The construction illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2 is in most essential respects similar to that aforedescribed except that the control of the pilot motor 19 and of the several holding coils is effected by means of starting push buttons and 61 and a stop button 62 rather than by the master switch 20. The operation of this construction is obvious from that aforedescribed it being, however, noted that preselection between the groups of line switches is effected by means of the starting push buttons, whereas the groups 9 and 10 of line switches are respectively provided with auxiliary contacts 63 and 6 1 for maintaining continuity of the holding circuits therefor and of the accelerating switches, thereby permitting release of the starting push button as soon as the switches have reached their intermediate positions. Such release of the starting push button serves to effect deenergization of the winding of relay 21 whereupon the pilot motor is adapted to stop.

This construction also differs from that illustrated in Fig. 1 in that upon stopping of the main motor due to failure of voltage the same is not re-started automatically, restarting being effected only upon reclosure of the appropriate starting push button.

A proposed amplification of the latch 49 is illustrated in Fig. 6 wherein said latch is shown provided with an adjustable element 65 the latter carrying the cam surface 51 of the latch. Obviously by varying the angular position of the element 65 with respect to the main portion of said latch the effective contour of the cam surface of said latch may be adjusted at will whereby the latches of the accelerating switches may all be constructed uniform and may be adjusted either before or after mounting to provide the desired sequence of closure of the switches.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a circuit controller, the combination with cooperating contacts, of operating means therefor including an element movable in a given direction to effect biasing of said contacts for engagement while effecting restraint of the same against engagement pending reverse movement of said element, said means further including a rotatable member rotatable unidirectionally for positively moving said element in the first-mentioned direction and thereafter permitting reverse movement of said element.

2. In a circuit controller, the combination with a plurality of sets of cooperating contacts, of operatin means therefor including an element movable in opposite directions and a rotatable member rotatable unidirectionally to move said element in one direction and thereafter permit reverse movement of said element, said means providing lease of said element for reverse movement,

upon unidirectional operation of said motor, said means further including means biasing said contacts for engagement upon movement of said element in one direction while restraining said contacts .against engage ment pending reverse movement of said element.

4. In a circuit controller, the combination with a plurality of sets of cooperating contacts, of means including a member movable in opposite directions, said means upon the movement of said element in one direction biasing said contacts for engagement but restraining the latter against engagement pending reverse movement of said element and upon reverse movement of said element timing engagement of said contacts relatively to one another, a motor and an operative connection between said motor and said element subjecting the latter to movement in the former direction and thereafter permitting reverse operation of said element, upon unidirectional operation of said motor.

5. In a circuit controller, the combination with cooperating contacts, of means including a member movable in opposite directions said means upon movement of said element in one direction biasing said contacts for engagement but restraining the latter against engagement pending reverse movement of said element, a rotatable member and a releasable connection between said member and said element whereby upon unidirectional movement of the former the latter is moved in one direction and then disconnected for reverse movement thereof.

6. In a circuit controller in combination, cooperating contacts, an element movable in opposite directions, a rotatable member, connections between said member and said element providing for movement of the latter in opposite directions upon unidirectional movement of the former and permitting movement of said element in opposite directions independently of said member and means acting upon movement of said element in one direction to bias certain of said contacts for engagement with other of the same but restraining said contacts against engagement pending reverse movement of said element.

7. In a circuit controller, in combination, a plurality of sets of cooperating contacts, a rotatable member, an element movable in opposite directions, operative connections between said member and said element'providing for reverse movements of the latter upon unidirectional rotation of the former and permitting said element to be moved in reverse directions independently of said rotatable member and means acting upon movement of said element in one direction to subject certain of said contacts to a bias for engagement with their respective cooperating contacts while restraining said contacts against engagement pending reverse movement of said element, said means including means rendering the engagement of certain of said sets of contacts sequential.

8. In a circuit controller, the combination with relatively movable contacts, of contact operating means providing for locking said contacts out of engagement with one an other, thereafter for biasing said contacts toward one another while so locked and finally for releasing said contacts to permit engagement thereof under such bias.

9. In'a circuit controller, the combination with relatively movable contacts, of contact operating means, including means for biasing said contacts against movement toward one another, said operating means providing for locking said contacts out of engagement with one another, for thereafter storing in said biasing means energy tending to effect engagement of said contacts with one another, and for subsequent release of said contacts to permit engagement thereof under such bias.

10. In a circuit controller, the combination with relatively movable contacts, of operating means therefor, comprising a spring to bias said contacts out of engagement and means operable to force certain of said conthe opposition of said spring and thereafter operable to permit-snap engagement of said contacts under spring.

11. In a circuit controller the combination with cooperating contacts, of means operable to effect relative movement of certain of said contacts away from other of said contacts and holding of the former against engagement of the latter, thereafter to effect movement of said former of said contacts toward said latter of said contacts without engagement thereof and finally to release said former of said contacts for permitting movement thereof into engagement with said latter of said contacts.

12. In a circuit controller, the combination with a fixed contact and a relatively movable contact to cooperate therewith, of oper ating means for said latter contact providing for movement thereof away from said fixed contact and holding the former against engagement of the latter, for thereafter moving said former contact toward said latter contact and effecting a bias of the former toward the latter and finally for releasing said former contact for snap movement thereof into engagement with said fixed contact.

13. In a circuit controller, the combination with a fixed contact and a cooperating movable contactor, of a movable support for said contactor, means biasing said contactor toward engagement with said contact and biasing said support against such engage.- ment, and means for moving and locking each of said elements against the action of said biasing means and for thereafter releasing certain of said elements to permit biased movement of said contactor into engagement with said contact.

14. In a circuit controller, the combination with a fixed contact and a cooperating movable contactor, of a movable support for said contactor, a single spring biasing said contactor and said support oppositely with reference to said contact, operating means for moving both said contactor and said support against the force of said spring, independent sets of means for latching said contactor and said support against return movement, said operating means being further adaptedto effect release of certain of said sets of latching means to thereby permit biased engagement of said contact by said contactor, the other of sets of latching means being thereafter releasable to permit biased disengageenergy so stored in said ment of said contacting elements. tacts toward other of said contacts against In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLIAM C. STEVENS. 

